Hardly Strictly Bluegrass announces a third round of performers for the 2024 edition of the festival to take place at San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate Park from Friday October 4 to Sunday October 6. Now in its 24th year, the free music festival with over 70 artists performing on six different stages will once again present an eclectic bill of top performers spanning an array of genres. Today, the festival adds Cat Power Sings Dylan ‘66, Cunningham Bird, Mavis Staples, Combo Tezeta, Wonder Women of Country, Steve Earle, Matt the Electrician, John Cooper Clarke, Carlene Carter, Jessica Pratt, and Wreckless Strangers to the lineup. These artists were teased yesterday with a medley on the HSB site.
“I love Hardly Strictly—it’s one of our favorite places to play in the world. I can’t wait to get back there this fall.”
– Mavis Staples
“For many of us, HSB is the superlative celebration of the year, a tiny window into what we wish the rest of reality could be. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone there!”
– Mick Hellman
Hardly Strictly’s second Portals to the Past episode titled “Voices In Harmony” will be released on 8/22, with some incredible duets & duos you won’t want to miss. The first episode of Portals to the Past is streaming now on HSB TV here and the HSB mobile app (on Apple and Google stores). Stay tuned for future episodes.
For the past several years, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass has collaborated with local venues to promote “Out Of The Park” shows—nighttime concerts by artists who are also playing the festival during the day. This year, proceeds from these shows will go to Sweet Relief Bay Area Musicians Fund. Concerts with Glen Hansard and Greensky Bluegrass at the Fillmore, Robyn Hitchcock, Fruition and The Bones of J.R. Jones at The Sweetwater, Haley Heyndrickx at The Guild Theatre, and Big Star’s Radio City 50th Anniversary at The Great American Music Hall have been announced. More Out of the Park shows will be announced soon.
Sweet Relief Out of the Park Shows Include:
Glen Hansard – Fillmore
Greensky Bluegrass – Fillmore
Robyn Hitchcock/Jobi Riccio – Sweetwater
Fruition – Sweetwater
The Bones of J.R. Jones – Sweetwater
Big Star Quintet – GAMH
Hayley Heynderickx – The Guild
Sweet Relief was founded in 1994 by singer-songwriter Victoria Williams and has been providing financial assistance to all types of musicians and music industry workers ever since. Its Bay Area Fund provides emergency financial assistance to musicians and music industry workers in San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, and Marin Counties.
As a lead up to the festival’s 25th Anniversary in 2025, the staff at HSB has been combing the archives to share some of the special moments from the past decades in presenting a web series Portals to the Past. On July 25, in honor of what would have been HSB founder Warren Hellman’s 90th birthday, the first segment Strictly Bluegrass was released on the HSB TV platform.
Final additions to the 2024 line up are coming soon.
HARDLY STRICTLY BLUEGRASS 24
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA
October 4-6, 2024
THIRD LINEUP ANNOUNCEMENT
Cat Power Sings Dylan ‘66
Cunningham Bird
Mavis Staples
Combo Tezeta
Wonder Women of Country
Steve Earle
Matt the Electrician
John Cooper Clarke
Carlene Carter
Jessica Pratt
Wreckless Strangers
SECOND LINEUP ANNOUNCEMENT
AJ Lee & Blue Summit
Sleater Kinney
Emmylou Harris
Sean McConnell
Levitation Room
Ibibio Sound Machine
Jobi Riccio
Dakhabrakha
Tony Trischka's Earl Jam
Devendra Banhart
INITIAL LINEUP
Greensky Bluegrass
Robyn Hitchcock
Big Star’s Radio City 50th Anniversary
The Wood Brothers
Fruition
Bobby Rush
Haley Heynderickx
The Bones Of J.R. Jones
Alice Gerrard
Glen Hansard
ADDITIONAL ARTISTS TO BE ANNOUNCED
The past two decades have seen Hardly Strictly Bluegrass grow from a one-day local attraction to a world-renowned three-day festival. The one-of-a-kind, annual free event boasts more than 70 artists on 6 stages spanning roots and Americana, funk, rock, soul, and more, highlighted by rising stars, countless surprises, and annual favorites such as Emmylou Harris and Steve Earle. Since its inception, the festival has become “one of the country’s most beloved live music events” (The San Francisco Chronicle).
Founded by Warren Hellman in 2001, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass marked the late financier/philanthropist’s gift to the City of San Francisco, offering a free outdoor festival in the historic Golden Gate Park to serve as an annual celebration of American music. Honoring the legacy of Warren and Chris Hellman, their four children, who are the directors of the Hellman Foundation, oversee Hardly Strictly Bluegrass. They are guided by a very special mission celebrating American roots music and its many outgrowths in an environment that fosters joy, creativity, freedom, peace, collaboration, love of music, mutual respect, and spiritual community.
Tune in September 3rd to enjoy the final medley which will showcase additional artists performing at HSB 2024.
